Allies At War: Churchill v Roosevelt v De Gaulle

By Simon Berthon

On the surface, the relationship seemed warm and mutually respectful; De Gaulle, Churchill and Roosevelt all working in unison to defeat the Axis powers and liberate the occupied countries. But behind the scenes, things were rather different.

Bickering, distrust, deceit and bitter arguments were commonplace throughout the war years. Roosevelt openly courted the collaborationist Vichy regime in preference to the leader of the Free French. Churchill, attempting to placate both the US President and de Gaulle, eventually became frustrated and openly distrustful of the French leader. And de Gaulle, it transpired, had a long memory for such betrayals.

Allies at War provides extraordinary insight into the real relationships between these highly dominant characters and their legacy in post-war relations.